Q&A with Jake Scott

This week I spent a few minutes with Titans guard Jake Scott, a sixth-year pro from Idaho.

You played with Cols quarterback Peyton Manning during your first four seasons in the NFL (2004-07). What clues, if any, do you have as the key to stopping or slowing down Manning?

Jake Scott

“It’s not rocket science. It’s how you stop everybody else. You have to cover guys. You have to rush the passer. You have to put some pressure on him. You do the same things you do with everybody else. Try to be good on first down on defense, get him into third-and-longs because it’s hard for anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are. You get in third-and-longs it’s harder to throw the ball than it is on second-and-3 or third-and-3. Limit his options. Try to get a lead and force him to be one-dimensional. Same formula it is to beat anybody. You just have to be a little bit better at it.”

Better at it because he’s better at taking advantage when you don’t?

“Exactly. He’s going to do better than most guys, so you have to do better (at stopping him).”

Colts Coach Jim Caldwell described Manning as player who prepares for games as if he’s still learning the game. Is that the guy you remember?

“It’s a level of preparation that few if anybody else does. It shows up on the field.”

The Colts offense is without former Pro Bowl receiver Marvin Harrison, and Anthony Gonzalez is injured. How much has changed with this offense compared to previous seasons?

“I’ve seen a little bit of film and it looks pretty similar. That’s another reason they’re good. They don’t change. They’re going to do the same thing and they’re going to get good at it. They’re going to do it until they perfect it.”